Loos, Eskridge represent Gems on Prospect League’s Western Conference All-Star team

QUINCY — One of the Prospect League’s most feared sluggers and one of its stingiest closers received postseason accolades Thursday.

Quincy Gems third baseman Lucas Loos and Gems reliever Stephen Eskridge were named Western Conference all-stars, as voted on by the managers of the nine conference teams. The Western Conference all-star team consists of 15 players overall.

Loos, a Payson Seymour graduate who was in his second summer with the Gems, led the Prospect League with 62 RBIs, while hitting 13 home runs and 15 doubles in 46 games. He finished the summer hitting .297 with a .645 slugging percentage.

Loos enjoyed a record-setting two-year career at John Wood Community College before playing last spring at NCAA Division I Oakland University, where he led the Golden Grizzlies with a .315 average. He entered the transfer portal following the spring season and will finish his career at Eastern Illinois University.

Eskridge, who plays at Graceland University, fashioned a 3-1 record with 13 saves in 20 appearances spanning 22 ⅔ innings. The left-hander struck out 26, walked seven and allowed 26 hits. He had a 2.78 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP.

The Gems finished the summer with a 31-27 record and won three playoff games before falling in the final two games of the championship series to the Chillicothe Paints.